<p>2collegewego, I appreciate the info. I’ve never considered co-op before, but it seems very interesting. Something to look into this week. </p>
<p>Deferred Payment plan is most probably the way to go. I’ll have to show this to my parents and see what they say. </p>
<p>By the way, we were kind of preparing for this big cost since last year. This year was especially rough since my parents are having trouble with mortgage and might face foreclosure. This is scary because they might not qualify for loans anymore.</p>
<p>Definitely I’ll be on a job hunt for this summer. I’m not expecting my parents to pay for everything. I’ll do what I can to help.</p>
<p>Is Blue and Gold based strictly on AGI or gross income? And, does it consider other things, too. Maybe the parents have another source of income or assets.</p>
<p>I’m not sure exactly where in California you live, but one idea that you might want to consider is taking up lifeguarding lessons. Back when I lived there, the economy was really bad and the teen job market shrivelled up like a raisin in the desert. Skilled workers advanced on the McDonald’s jobs and the only job that was really available was lifeguarding. It pays well and it requires minimal effort; you have to get certified but you end up spending three summers basically getting paid to sit down and stare at gaily-decorated folks in a pool.</p>
<p>The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan sets a goal to, at the minimum, cover systemwide fees for low-income students; it is not a specific scholarship. You will not see a “Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan” award on MyFinAid.</p>
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<p>income eligibility standard will already have sufficient grant and scholarship support to cover full UC systemwide fees based on our standard financial aid packaging guidelines. The few students that don’t have sufficient grant and scholarship support to cover full UC systemwide fees and are eligible under the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan will receive the difference in a university grant by mid-fall 2010.</p>
<p>Several thousand students who are ineligible for the plan because they do not meet the specific criteria below (such as fifth-year students and non-residents) qualify for sufficient grant and scholarship support to cover full UC systemwide fees* based on our standard financial aid packaging guidelines.</p>
<p>ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, students must:</p>
<p>Have filed their FAFSA by the March 2nd deadline.
Be California residents.
Submit a financial aid application (the FAFSA) and provide any requested documentation to verify income and other eligibility criteria by campus deadlines.
Apply for a Cal Grant (if not already a recipient).
Have financial need (as determined for federal need-based aid programs).
Have income below $70,000 (as determined for federal need-based aid programs). This is a measure of parents’ income for dependent students. It is a measure of student’s (and spouses, if applicable) income for independent students.
Be in their first four years (two if a transfer student) of University undergraduate attendance.
Be enrolled in an academic year term (summer is excluded).
Meet campus basic requirements for UC grant assistance (e.g., be an on-time applicant, be enrolled at least half-time, meet campus satisfactory academic progress standards, not already hold a bachelor’s degree, not be in default on student loans, etc.).</p>
<p>You know what… I think I know what might be wrong… I probably need to update my FAFSA to show them that I’ve filed my taxes for 2009. That’s why they haven’t given me any official offers yet.</p>